LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Kawahn Young was nominated by his principal, Jamel Jernigan.

"In my position as principal, I work alongside Officer Young daily, and he is absolutely devoted to mentoring and supporting our youth," said Jernigan. "He works tirelessly to support our students while serving as a positive role model for many. Officer Young's presence within our greater school community is widely known, and his nonprofit leadership and work allows him to continue serving our students, even while off the clock. I am confident that Officer Young is one of the hardest-working School Resource Officers in Baltimore County Public Schools, and he deserves the distinction of LifeChanger of the Year."
  
Officer Young consistently puts our students' safety and best interests first. Officer Young has a patient and supportive interaction with each student he encounters. He has established himself as a presence with families, local businesses, and other community stakeholders. His open and honest communication, diligence in investigation, and care for students have helped build a spirit of trust and collaboration surrounding school safety that has proved more valuable at a time like now than ever. He manages a tremendous workload serving such a large and busy campus within a challenging community, but he maintains a positive attitude and impeccable follow-through.   

Officer Young has established an excellent rapport with students. He demonstrates tremendous positive energy in his interactions with students, spending lunch with them and visiting classes to educate them. Officer Young mentors students and has maintained a strong rapport with students who have since graduated from WHS and kept in touch. He is an active member of the school community, regularly attending and participating in extracurricular events and supporting student-athletes. Officer Young also serves as a positive role model for many students who may have never had personal experience with such a hard-working guy, who is an active dad and very openly a family man. Through his Nonprofit, Save Our Young (SOY), Officer Young has organized numerous bike rides, movie nights, and other events to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and youth. Recently, he hosted a Breakfast with Santa event where he provided toys to children of 40 families within the school community who had experienced recent hardship and bereavement. 

"Officer Young is truly a change agent within the Woodlawn community. I am thankful to have a first-row seat to witness how his transformational leadership impacts youth of all ages within our school community," said Jernigan. 
   
Officer Young is reliable, hard-working, and self-motivated. He has established a positive rapport with many stakeholders, including students, parents, and colleagues. He has devoted his life to helping students find positive outcomes and is consistently searching for new ways to make a lasting impact. Officer Young takes pride in his position, which is evident in his work ethic.

"He is truly an invaluable member of our team, and I highly recommend him for Lifechanger of the Year. I truly believe that he deserves this distinction, and I am confident that many others within our school community support my position regarding this matter," said Jernigan.